Mumbai: Maharashtra has recorded over 1.8 lakh cases of child malnutrition, with urban areas reporting a growing share of the burden, according to data shared by Women and Child Welfare Minister Aditi Tatkare. In a written reply in the state legislature on Thursday, the minister cited Poshan Track data for February 2025, revealing that 30,800 children were identified with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), while 1,51,643 were found to have Medium Acute Malnutrition (MAM), out of 48,59,346 children whose height and weight were measured.
Urban regions showed notably high figures. In the Mumbai suburban area, 2,887 children were identified with SAM and 13,457 with MAM out of 2,34,896 children measured. Thane recorded 844 SAM and 7,366 MAM cases out of 1,85,360 children. In Nashik, 1,852 children had SAM and 8,944 had MAM out of 3,05,628 children.
Similar trends were seen in other districts. Pune reported 1,666 SAM and 7,410 MAM cases out of 2,98,929 children. Dhule recorded 1,741 children with SAM and 6,377 with MAM out of 1,41,906. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, 1,439 children had SAM and 6,487 had MAM, while Nagpur reported 1,373 SAM and 6,715 MAM cases.
Tatkare also informed that the state has filled 2,17,736 out of 2,21,338 sanctioned posts of anganwadi sevikas and assistants. “The process is underway for the recruitment of the remaining posts,” she added. Recruitment of Child Development Project Officers and supervisors is also ongoing.
She said the government is taking multiple steps to reduce malnutrition. “The government has taken a slew of measures to reduce malnutrition, including providing fresh and nutritious food to pregnant women and lactating mothers and children under the Integrated Child Development Scheme,” she stated.
“Similarly, food is provided to pregnant and lactating mothers and children under the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Amrut Scheme. Further, energy-dense nutritional food is also provided to malnourished children under the SAM category,” the minister said.
To improve monitoring, the government is using real-time data and implementing targeted schemes. “Recently, the minister launched the Suposhit Mumbai Abhiyan and Urban Child Development Centre Scheme to bring malnourished children in urban areas into the normal category,” she said.
“The centres, established under the Urban Child Development scheme, will be highly beneficial in ensuring proper nutrition for mothers and children right from pregnancy up to the first 1,000 days of life,” Tatkare added.
Both schemes are aimed at reducing the rate of malnutrition in Mumbai and its suburban regions.
